AN: Hello! Here's the next chapter. There is a tiny bit of Severus in it, but not enough for us Snarry fans, be patient. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review!
Also, I still don't own Harry Potter's universe though I wish I did. (Like everyone else on this planet.) lol
Matters of the Heart
Chapter 4
It's 8:30am and Harry is standing in his room naked. His first staff meeting is in thirty minutes and he can't decide what to wear. Even though he knows most of the professors, he still wants to make a good first impression, especially to the resident potion master.
"Ugh!" Throwing his red shirt on the bed. "No red, something neutral. Where's that beige shirt?" He says to himself, shuffling through his wardrobe to the very back. "Yes! Okay, okay. This will do." Grabbing his tight jeans and dragonhide boots, he starts dressing while walking to his tall mirror. "Calm down Harry, it's just a staff meeting."
Once he's done, he assesses himself in the mirror. Hair braided down to mid back - check, skin tight jeans - check. Should he wear his robes? "No. It's just a quick meeting. No robes." Harry checks his teeth one more time before he grabs his parchment and quill set and attaches them to his belt.
"Stay calm, Harry. Damn, it's not like you don't know these people."
Satisfied with how he looks, Harry leaves his rooms and starts down to the teachers lounge.
"Mr. Potter!"
Harry turns back to see professor Flitwick hurrying along the Hall. His short legs making quick work of the hallway.
"Professor Flitwick." Harry waits for him to catch up.
"Please, we are colleagues now. Call me Fillius." The half goblin says.
"Yes of course and please call me Harry."
The small man nods his head. "I would like a word with you afterward, if you could spare the time. I think there are a few things we need to discuss, San Harry." He says with a smirk and a wink.
Harry froze where he stood and gaped down at the man.
"After...Harry. And don't look so surprised. I am half goblin." He chuckles at Harry's reaction and tries to smooth it over. "I won't tell anyone but you and I need to talk. Yes?"
Harry can only agree. He nods his head once and then laughs out a barking laugh. "I should have known you would be the one to know!"
They continue walking towards the teachers lounge, both lost in their own thoughts.
"Yes, I suppose you should have. But not many people realized I can sense these things. So how was your journey home?"
"Uneventful."
"Ah. And how is Elder Batausch these days? Is he still as pigheaded as ever?" Fillius asks.
Harry again falters in his step. What the hell?
The smaller man chuckles. "I spent some time on the Homestead when I was first out of Hogwarts. I learned dueling techniques from him and the other trainers. They are quite skilled in that respect." He beams and Harry's still gawking. Fillius remembers his time on the Homestead with fondness. He learned a lot from them and not just how to duel. He learned how to live life to the fullest and that's something he still strives to do everyday.
When they arrive at the teacher's lounge, Harry opens the door and allows the smaller man to enter first.
The Headmistress is already at the front of the room and the other teachers are seated sporadically around. Some are drinking tea and catching up with old colleagues, while others are busy writing out their plans. Harry doesn't recognize some of them, but Professor Hooch is talking to Professor Sprout. Hagrid is now talking to Fillius and Professor Snape is in the back far corner scribbling away not paying any attention to anyone else.
" 'Arry! When did you ge' 'ere?" Hagrid says as he storms over to Harry, leaving a chuckling half goblin behind. He grasps Harry's shoulders and brings him in for a bone crushing hug. Literally.
"Hagrid! How ya been?Ahh, too tight!" He squeaks out and he can feel Hagrid loosen his hold.
" 'Arry. Where ya been lad? I've missed ya an' Fang too." Finally letting go of Harry.
"I'm good Hagrid. How about I come and have tea with you tomorrow! We can catch up then, is that okay?"
"Ya sure 'Arry. I'll make my rock cakes for ya. I know how much ya like 'em." Hagrid slaps his back making the Living Vampire stumble forward a step. They walk to the empty chairs at the back of the lounge to find a seat.
Snape looks up and makes eye contact with Harry for the first time in over five years. Harry's stomach does a flip and the hairs on his body start to vibrate making his steps falter. Oh, how he wants to hold him already. Acknowledging the potions Professor, Harry moves to an empty seat at the other end of the row even though the seat next to Snape is open.
Take it slow. Give him space. Don't give him a reason to hate you already.
Harry sat, took out his quill and parchment from his belt and looks forward trying to keep his emotions in check. From the corner of his eye, he can see the professor watching him. It makes him want to squirm but he holds strong.
Don't give him a reason to mock you.
"Mister Potter. How nice of you to grace us with your presence when the whole wizarding world is looking for you. Have you come to teach a new generation on how to break the rules or how to get into detention?" The older man sneers.
Harry turns to retort, however as soon as he makes eye contact he freezes again. Literally. His body starts singing to him, something he's never experienced before. His palms become sweaty, his heart beats faster and the worst part...his tongue tied. He can't get a sound to come out and he's trying! Trying not to wig out himself and to look like an arse, he just stares and prays he can eventually look away.
"Very mature Mister Potter." Severus says, lifting the right side of his mouth up in amusement before he goes back to writing.
Harry can't stop staring. Was that a smile? What the hell? A warmth begins to spread throughout his body from the interaction and keeping a straight face, he turns back towards the front and crosses his legs.
Inwardly, his Vampire is jumping up and down, purring at the tenor of Severus Snape's voice.
Settle down there, mate.
This is going to be harder than he thought; keeping Harry the man and Harry the Vampire satisfied. Much harder.
XxxX
"Fillius, would you care to join me in my rooms in say...ten minutes?" Harry asks. The meeting is over and the professors are mingling around. Professor Snape being the first to leave stating he had to prepare his lab for the unruly students.
"Yes, Mister Potter, that would ideal. I just need to run to my rooms for a minute and then I'll be right there." Fillius says as he bids farewell to the other professors before leaving.
Walking back to his rooms, Harry inventories all the feelings he's felt since being in the same room with his Other. Some are expected and some are a total surprise.
The tingles were there, that is a given. Harry figures the tingles are his way of knowing Snape is around. Soft when he's further away, stronger when in close proximity, but he doesn't know what it will do when they touch. That's something he can't wait to feel.
Then there's the warmth that literally spread throughout his body. It felt like when you first step into a warm shower and the warm water cascades down every inch of your body, caressing it as it moves over your sensitive areas and leaves you feeling breathless. Thank Merlin for robes. It took the whole meeting to get rid of the hard on he got from just listening to Snape berate him.
"Damn git."
But what surprised Harry the most was his inner Vampire coming to play. Being around his Mate is going to be difficult if his Vampire keeps interjecting itself into his psyche. No one ever told him that would happen or that he would have to control it so much. Really, when his Vampire came out, all Harry wanted to do was to touch the older man. To feel his face under his fingers, to taste those lips, to rub his hands across those shoulders and down to his stomach. To put his smaller fingers in between those larger potion stained fingers and never let go and finally to wrap his magic around him so he could bask in his Other's essence. His Vampire actually purred at those thoughts. Purred! Oh Merlin!
"Ugh! Stop it!" He says out loud. Catching himself as he looks around to make sure no one else has heard him. That's all he needs is for someone to think he's crazy. Adjusting his robes, he began to walk faster.
XxxX
"Would you like tea? Or maybe something a little stronger?" Harry asks. Personally, he would love some whiskey but he'll let his guest decide how this afternoon will go.
"Tea, please. I need to keep a level head today but can I take a rain check on that drink?" The half goblin inquires.
"Of course. I look forward to it." Harry says. "Tea it is. Just give me a second."
Placing the tea tray on the table between them, Harry pours Flitwick's cup then his own. "Besides the obvious, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Harry inquires. He adds milk and sugar to his own cup and watches as the smaller man does the same. He studies the other man, looking for any signs of danger and not seeing any.
With his cup, Fillius sits back in his chair and takes a sip. "Mmm, very good." He smiles over at Harry, "Well, as I've mentioned, I lived at the Homestead after I left Hogwarts. I lived there for three years mastering my skills as a dueler. When I left there, I went to Uni and studied Charms and business application. My family wanted me to work at Gringotts, hence the business degree. I, however, did not intend to work there. I joined the dueling club and made a name for myself; became a master dueler and won every year I was there."
He sits forward and looks Harry in the eyes and Harry can't turn away. Something in the other man's expression tells him this is important.
"Elder Batausch was my mentor while I was there. He took me under his wing and taught me many things. Not all of them having to do with dueling. He gave me sound advice about living life while putting me through grueling lessons on how to beat your opponent. However, the one thing he would never indulge to me, in all the time I was there, was the intimates going on with Living Vampires. Oh, I had my suspicions at the time but it would have been improper of me to voice that. They were gracious enough to allow a human to stay with them and learn from them; even if I am half goblin."
Harry smiles at that, it's true, it's a rare occasion that the tribe allows an outsider to stay with them. "I wondered how it was you came to be there myself. Elder Batausch is not one to deviate from tradition."
"That is correct. However, he came to me two days after I graduated Hogwarts. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Before he showed up, I was preparing to start Uni in the fall and then off to work at Gringotts, like my family and I wanted; at the time. He told me 'word of my abilities with a wand' have reached his ears and he offered me a three year apprenticeship to train under him. Of course I jumped at the chance. I was being offered something no one else has ever been offered. This tribe of Vampires are very private, actually Vampires in general are not commonly known about except what Muggles write in their stories. But to be invited to apprentice with the Elite of the Vampires...well, I never considered turning them down. They are a tribe of traditions and honor, not bloodshed." Harry nods his head in agreement.
Fillius stops here, places his cup on the table and looks to the fire. The flames dance in his eyes and he reaches into his robes and pulls out a leather bound book. Glancing down at it with reverence while caressing the cover. "Elder Batausch is my friend. I found out a month before I was to leave the real purpose of the offered apprenticeship. A purpose I didn't understand until yesterday." He looks to Harry and hands him the book.
"What's this?"
"Elder Batausch gave this to me when he revealed the truth about my apprenticeship. I think you should read it."
Harry studies the book, flipping it open to the middle to see beautifully written words. "I don't understand. What am I looking at?" He asks as he continues to flip through the pages.
"It's a copy of the written history of Living Vampires. Every Elder has written in the book, adding their life and tribulations to the history. Harry, I have read this book several times and until yesterday I didn't understand the significance. I didn't 'get it' until I saw you walking through the halls the other day. This book is solely written by the Elders. You must understand that to be gifted with this was a great honor for me. No one knows of its existence, not even other tribe members."
"If that's the case then why did he gift it to you?" Harry asks with narrow eyes and for once he's lost for more words even though he has several questions. This is truly remarkable and unbelievable.
"In this book they talk about the King, the first King."
They stare at each other, neither one saying a word.
"What?" Harry asks eventually. Every Living Vampire has heard all the stories and legends about one all powerful Living Vamp and the tragic death of him and his family. As far as Harry knows, they are just that...stories and legends.
They both admire the book in Harry's lap.
XxxX
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